[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 242 (Monday, December 19, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77555-77556]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-27451]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XC517]


Draft Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Assessment for 
Fisheries Research Conducted and Funded by the Northwest Fisheries 
Science Center

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability of a draft supplemental programmatic 
environmental assessment; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the availability of the ``Draft Supplemental 
Programmatic Environmental Assessment (SPEA) for Fisheries Research 
Conducted and Funded by the Northwest Fisheries Science Center.'' 
Publication of this notice begins the official public comment period 
for this SPEA. The purpose of this Draft SPEA is to evaluate potential 
direct, indirect, and cumulative effects of changes in research that 
were not analyzed in the 2018 Northwest Fisheries Science Center 
(NWFSC) Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA), or new research 
activities along the U.S. West Coast, from California US-Mexico Border 
to Washington US-Canada Border. Select surveys in partnership with 
Department of Fisheries and Oceans-Canada extend this research area 
through British Columbia, Canada to Alaska. Where necessary, updates to 
certain information on species, stock status or other components of the 
affected environment that may result in different conclusions from the 
2018 PEA are presented in this analysis.

DATES: Comments and information must be received no later than January 
18, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the Draft SPEA should be addressed to Larry 
Hufnagle, Environmental Compliance Coordinator, NOAA/NMFS/NWFSC, 2725 
Montlake Blvd. E, Seattle, WA 98112. The mailbox address for providing 
email comments is: [email protected].
    NMFS is not responsible for email comments sent to addresses other 
than the one provided here. Comments sent via email, including all 
attachments, must not exceed a 10-megabyte file size. A copy of the 
Draft SPEA may be obtained by writing to the address specified above, 
telephoning the contact listed below (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT), or visiting the internet at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/supplemental-programmatic-environmental-assessment-fisheries-research-conducted-and-funded. Documents cited in this notice may also 
be viewed, by appointment, during regular business hours at the 
aforementioned address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry Hufnagle, email: 
[email protected], phone: (206) 310-6817.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NWFSC is the research arm of NMFS in the 
Northwest Region. The purpose of NWFSC fisheries research is to produce 
scientific information necessary for the management and conservation of 
living marine resources along the U.S. West Coast Exclusive Economic 
Zone (EEZ) Federal waters from the California US-Mexico Border to the 
Washington US-Canada Border. NWFSC's research is needed to promote both 
the long-term sustainability of the resource and the recovery of 
certain species, while generating social and economic opportunities and 
benefits from their use. Primary research activities include: seasonal 
bottom trawl surveys to support assessments of ground fish; seasonal 
acoustic mid-water pelagic surveys to support the assessment of Pacific 
Hake and semi-pelagic fish species; salmon surveys; marine mammal 
research and surveys; Uncrewed Systems research and surveys; and 
rockfish hook and line surveys in the EEZ.
    NMFS has prepared the Draft SPEA under the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) to evaluate two alternatives for conducting and 
funding fisheries and ecosystem research activities as the primary 
Federal action. Additionally in the Draft SPEA, NMFS evaluates a 
related action, also called a ``connected action'' under 40 CFR 1508.25 
of the Council on Environmental Quality's regulations for implementing 
the procedural provisions of NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), which is 
the proposed promulgation of regulations and authorization of the take 
of marine mammals incidental to the fisheries research under the Marine 
Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

[[Page 77556]]

Additionally, because the proposed research activities occur in areas 
inhabited by species of marine mammals, birds, sea turtles, and fish 
listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as threatened or 
endangered, this Draft SPEA evaluates activities that could result in 
unintentional takes of ESA-listed marine species.
    The following two alternatives are currently evaluated in the Draft 
SPEA:
     Alternative 1--Continue current fisheries and ecosystem 
research (Status Quo/no action) as described in the 2018 NWFSC PEA.
     Alternative 2--Conduct current research with some 
modifications, as well as new research activities that are planned for 
the future (i.e., 2023-2028). New future research proposed under 
Alternative 2 was not previously analyzed in the 2018 PEA.
    The alternatives include a program of fisheries and ecosystem 
research projects conducted or funded by the NWFSC as the primary 
Federal action. Because this primary action is connected to a secondary 
Federal action, to consider authorizing incidental take of marine 
mammals under the MMPA, NMFS must identify as part of this evaluation 
``(t)he means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on the 
species or stock and its habitat'' (Section 101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA 
(16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.)). NMFS must therefore identify and evaluate a 
reasonable range of mitigation measures to minimize impacts to 
protected species that occur in NWFSC research areas. These mitigation 
measures are considered as part of the identified alternatives in order 
to evaluate their effectiveness to minimize potential adverse 
environmental impacts. The two action alternatives also include 
mitigation measures intended to minimize potentially adverse 
interaction with other protected species that occur within the action 
area. Protected species include all marine mammals, which are covered 
under the MMPA, all species listed under the ESA, and bird species 
protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
    Potential direct and indirect effects on the environment are 
evaluated under each alternative in the Draft SPEA. The environmental 
effects on the following resources are considered: physical 
environment, special resource areas, fish, marine mammals, birds, sea 
turtles, invertebrates, and the social and economic environment. 
Cumulative effects of external actions and the contribution of 
fisheries research activities to the overall cumulative impact on the 
aforementioned resources is also evaluated in the Draft SPEA for the 
geographic regions in which NWFSC surveys are conducted.
    NMFS requests comments on the Draft SPEA for Fisheries Research 
Conducted and Funded by the National Marine Fisheries Service, 
Northeast Fisheries Science Center. Please include, with your comments, 
any supporting data or literature citations that may be informative in 
substantiating your comment.

    Dated: December 13, 2022.
Kevin Werner,
Science and Research Director, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-27451 Filed 12-16-22; 8:45 am]
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